Folding boat.



G. R. BAIR.

FOLDING BOAT.

APPLICATION FILED DISC. I2. I9I4.

evw. INI/ENT,

ATTO R N EY coLUMBIA PLANOURAI'II cu., WASHINGTON, D. c.

miran srArEs f rArnNr cranica.

GEORGE R. BAIE, or LAWRENCE, KANsAs, AssreNoR or cNE-EALr rro FRANK H. y

BENNETT, or LAWRENCE, KANSAS.

FOLDING BOAT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 24, 1915.

To all whom. t may concern.'

Beit known that l', GEORGER. BAIR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lawrence, in the county of Douglas and State of Kansas, have invented anew and useful `Folding Boat, of which the following is a specification.

rThe invention relates to improvements in folding boats. l

The object of the present invention is to improve thev construction of folding boats and to provide a simple, practical, and inexpensive boat, designed for hunting and,

various other purposes, and adapted to collapse compactly to enable it to be easily carried, and capable also of beingr easily handled and propelled through the water at a relatively high speed.

A further object of the invention is to provide a bottomless boat equipped with a deck and a seat and adapted to be driven through the water at a much greater speed than a boat having a bottom.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in the construction and novel combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims appended hereto, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minory details of construction, within the scope of the claims, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacricing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawing Figure l vis a plan view of a folding boat constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a side'el'evation of the same. Fig. 3 is a central transverse sectional view of the boat. Figs. 4 and 5 are detail views illustratingthe construction of the locking device for maintaining the parts of the boat in rigid relation when the boat is arranged for use.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding partsin all thegures of the drawing. l

In the accompanying drawing, in which is illustrated the preferredk embodiment of the invention, the body of the boat comprises in its constructiontwo oppositely curved sides l, each consisting cfa longitudinal series of buoyant sections2 which are curved longitudinally to conform to the curvature of the sides of the boat. The buoyant sections 2,

which may be constructed of `cork or any other suitable material, preferably consist of hollow inatable rubber cells of approximatelycylindrical form, land provided with suitable air valves 3y for enabling the air cells to be inflated when it is desired to arrange the boat for use, and to be deflated for folding the boat. The `buoyant sections of the sides of the body of the boat are mounted within bands l of curved longitudinal side ribs 5, constructed of steel or other suitable material and located beneath the buoyant sections and connected at their ends by hinges 6 having angularly disposed ribs 7 arranged boat and adapted to permit the side to fold inwardly, as hereinafter fully explained. rlhe boat is pointed at each end and the longitudinal side ribs are composed of a series of sections or members 8 connected by transverse pivots 9 and which permit the sides of the boat to fold compactly when the buoyant` sections 2 are deilated. rlhe sections or members of the longitudinal ribs or braces are yof a length slightly greater than that ofthebuoyant sections, which are preferably maintained in spaced relation as shown, but they may be placed as close together as desired. Each section or member 8 of the longitudinal ribs or braces is shown provided with a pair. of bands which are arranged to embrace the buoyant sections adjacent to the ends thereof, but the bands may be arranged in any other desiredposition and any desired number of bands may bev employed. The terminals 4a of the bands are pivoted to the sections or members of the longitudinal ribs or braces by rivets 5a, or other suitable fastening means to enable the bands to be folded against the sections or membersSk when the buoyant sec# tions are collapsed, but the terminals of the bands may be connected with the longitudinal braces or ribs in any other desired manner.r

The terminal hinges 6 permit the sides of the boat to collapse inwardlyand the transat the bow and stern of the verse braces or ribs enable the sections or Y members thereof and the buoyant sections to fold longitudinally lon one another, whereby the body of the boat may be com pactly collapsed to enable the same toy be easily carried. The size of the body of the boat, when folded, will depend uponl the length of the buoyant sections and the seci tions orV members of the longitudinal ribs or i io braces, which may bev-constructed of any and engaging the adjacent section or member, as'clearly` illustrated in Fig. A of the `llach lever diate point with spaced ears ll, which are arranged attheupper and lower'edges of y ing on is provided of the lever.'

the lrear oper-ating arm of the lever l0 awayr y one ofthe sections `or members andy are pivoted to the vsame by ay vertical rivetl2 or other `suitable fastening device, which pierces the vears and the said section ormeml ber. The front arm orvportion 'of the lever l0 extends beyond the `joint and is provided rwith spaced laterallyprojecting ylugs 13 which are arranged to embrace the adjacent section or inemberS at the side edges thereof, whereby the pivotally connected sections'or members 8 arejinaintained -in rigid relation and are prevented from turnv` the transverse pivot 9. The lever atits rearV end with spaced laterallyprojecting v'flangesl 145, which slidably embrace the side-edges ofthe section or member towhich 'the lever l0 is pivoted. This steadies and braces-the leverv 10, which is maintainedl inits engaging position by a spring "'15, secured atv one end tothe rib or brace vby the pivot9, land having its free end bearing against the rear op'erating'arm y'The spring normally urges from the adjacent bar or. member `8, and maintains theilugs With'the adjacent section or member 8.y The rear 'arm of the lever 10 'is adapted to be n pressed inwardly against the raction of the springto move thejaws or flanges 1B out of engagement vwith' the kadjacent lsection or member 8 to'permit'the parts to fold. l

The spiace between the sides 1 is open, the boat being bottomless and adapted to be propelled through the water by a paddle, oars,

or other motive power' ata much higher rate of speed than boats having a hull or l bottom.

f The boat is equipped'withua deck 16 'constructed of canvas or other suitable matef rial and supported above the horizontal plane of the body by transverse braces 17,v ,18, and 19, which rigid relation andprevent thesame from'colf -lapsiiiginwardly 60' also maintain'the sides in The superimposed deck is ylocated a sufficient distance above the water line to prevent it withthe -water in the boat. Each brace from comingv inv `contact ythe normal ycondition 1 of l is composedof two sections or members connected' at their inner ends by a vgitudinal ribs or braces l()l isprovided'at an interme- Asupporttheftransverse portions ter line. l

holding luggage and other seat. .Y The' sidebars or jaws 13 in engagement latch 21 constructed similar to the latch i heretofore described.'r The terminal braces yare Yprovided atfopp'osite sides of the boat with arms 22, 23, and 24, which are `detachably secured at their lower ends to the lonverse brace to be` Vreadily disconnected from Athe sides of the'boat when it is desired to i'pld the latter.

The arms of the transverse brace extend above the bodyofthe boat and ofthe brace in a' superimposed condition, andarrange thedeck the desired distance" above the wa- The canvas deck isy adapted `for articles, andthe boat is also provided with a folding seat 25,' located above-therear portion of the deck and connected with the transverse braceslS and 179 by inclined ybraces 26 and 27; The inclinedv braces are detachably secured at. their'lower ends to the transver'` braces by bolts 28'and'29, or other suitable fastening means, and are pivotally vconnectedat their upper endsy 30 and 3l to side bars32 of theI 32 are vconnected by. transverse bars 33 and 3A, and the bars'32, 33, and SLi-,form an oblongsea't frame over which the canvas or othermateria'l of4 the seat is stretched. The deolnthe" seat, and

to venable the tr'ans-` the supporting means are adapted to'be compactly folded when detached from the body of the boat.` p i Y.

."Nhat is claimedisz-- 'Q l 'Y l'. A .folding boat including sides com! ed so as to :fold on one another, ysaid sides beingyspaced apart to provide abottomless boat, and a superimposed decklsu'pported -by the sidesabove the buoyantsections.,

vposed ofbuoyant sections pivotally connect- 2. A folding boat including .sides-coinposed ofy buoyantsections pivotally connected so as to fold onone another, the sides'be nected together to forma pointed bow, and composed of buoyant sections, said 'sides be# -ing-,hingedtogether "at their terminalsto l enable them to collapse inwardly,transverse bracesl maintaining the sidesin rigid relaing lspaced apartv to. providefav bottoinless o 4C. A folding curved sides lhinged. together at their opposite ends :to form a pointed bow and a point` ed stern andato permit the sides to Vcollapse inwardly, said sides being composed fof buoyant'fsections, each sectionbeing pivot'- ,connected and adaptedto fold one upon another. 1 i v y. f f

5. AL folding boat comprising outwardly curved sides' hingedL together at theiry ends,

boat i comprising outwardly each side composed of v'pivotallyconnected members, and lbuoyant sectionsy arranged above and connected with the members ofl the sides and foldable with the same, said buoyant sections being shorter than the said members.

6. A ilolding boat including outwardly curved longitudinal ribs or braces hinged together at their ends and composed of pivotally connected sections or members, buoy` ant sections connected with the sections or members of the ribs or braces and foldable with the saine, and means for locking the sections or members of the ribs or braces in rigid relation.

7. A folding boat including longitudinal ribs or braces composed of sectionsl or meinbers having transverse connecting pivots, latches consisting of levers each mounted on one section or member and provided with means for engaging the adjacent section or member to lock the sections or members in rigid relation, and buoyant sections connected to and oldable with the sections or members of the ribs or braces.

8. A folding boat including outwardly curved sides hinged together at their ends and composed of foldable buoyant sections, and transverse braces yconnecting the sides and maintaining the same in rigid relation, said braces having superimposed intermediate portions, and a deck supported by the transverse braces.

9. A folding boat including outwardly curved sides hinged together at their ends and composed of foldable buoyant sections, transverse braces connecting the sides, said braces being composed of sections detachably secured at their ends to the sides of the and composed of foldable buoyant sections,

folda'ble transverse braces connecting theV sides of the boat and maintaining the same in rigid relation, said braces having superim-y posed intermediate portions, a seat, and inclined braces connected with the transverse braces and supporting the seat.

11. A boat composed of outwardly curved sides, means for. pivotally connecting the sides'at each end, said sides being made up cfa series of pivotallyr connected members, buoyant sections arranged above the said sides in the same vertical plane, said buoyant sections being shorter than the said members, and means for tions to said members, said sides being spaced apart to provide a bottomless boat.

l2. A foldable boat comprising outwardly curved sides hinged together at their ends and formed of foldable buoyant sections,

,foldable transverse braces connecting the sides of the boat and in rigid relation, supported by the sides.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

y GEORGE R. BAIR.

maintaining the same and a superimposed deck Witnesses:

FRANK H. BENNETT, ALBERT T. HATFIELD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, ID. C."

connecting said secsaid braces above thesaid i 

